Precious Gifts by Danielle Steel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
There is nothing quite like a Danielle Steel novel. This book was a fun escape, with a story about a very selfish father who leaves some very specific items in his will; items that will change each of their lives in a positive way. As usual with Danielle Steel books, the characters are highly glossed and somewhat stereotypical, but the story was fun and engaging. The main character, Veronique is a selfless mother and ex-wife who has always put others ahead of herself, and despite a vast family fortune, Veronique is a loving and caring person, not spoiled by her wealth. As Veronique attempts to learn the authenticity of a sentimental painting, she meets a handsome young photographer named Aiden, and they quickly develop a relationship. I really enjoyed this fun story.
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What She Left Behind by Ellen Marie Wiseman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
What She Left Behind is a story that centers around two young woman who face enormous difficulties. One is 17-year-old Izzy and the other is 17-year-old Clara who lived in the same community back in 1929. Izzy discovers Clara's diary while helping her foster mother go through some patient personal belongings from an old closed down mental asylum. Izzy is fascinated by Clara's story, and feels somehow connected to the tragic young woman.
While I found the story interesting to read, there were so many tragedies and horrible people through out the story that as a reader it became overwhelming. As Izzy faces the school bully, a vicious girl named Shannon, Clara argues with her father and is sent to a mental hospital. The cruelty that they both face is overwhelming, and things continue to go from bad to worse for the two. There were some good moments, but many of the characters felt one-dimensional. We learn very little about Clara’s father and why he wanted his daughter locked away. The author uses incest in a trite and stereotypical way, making the whole story less believable. I was frustrated with the ending. While the author tried to offer a somewhat happy resolution, it fell flat and the reader can't help but feel disappointed at the tragic waste of lives that occurred.
Despite its many flaws, I did like the premise of this book and enjoyed reading it. While it was not one of the best I’ve read, I would recommend this book.
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Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War by Nathaniel Philbrick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A thoroughly researched and detailed history of the earliest settlers unlike any of the stories you were told in grade school, this book shares the real history of the Pilgrims, their brutality towards the natives and the bloody war, known as King Phillip's war. At times the book does get bogged down with detail, but it is so well researched that the stories seem to come alive on the page. The story is full of vibrant characters like Mary Rowlandson who was captured by the indians or Benjamin Church, a dynamic military leader who sought to get indians to work along side his troops to win the war. History buffs will love reading this book.
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The Douchebag Chronicles: A novella. by Kageni Wilson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I am not a big fan of serials, so I was somewhat frustrated with the cliff hanger ending of this book. The plot was good, but the characters were undeveloped, as a reader I felt like I knew very little about each character. The story jumps sharply from scene to scene and I felt lost at times trying to understand what was going on. At first I even wondered if this was just a short story collection, but just when the story starts coming together we are left with the cliff hanger ending.
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Five Minutes Late by Rich Amooi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this sweet romantic comedy about Cedrick and Ellie, both very likable characters who meet and are instantly attracted to each other. Of course readers know that in romantic comedies it's never that easy. Ellie works as a librarian, and she is persuaded by her lovable Grandpa to give online dating a chance. Cedrick is a wealthy but humble business owner, who is still grieving the death of his fiancé. The closer Ellie and Cedrick get, the more obstacles get thrown in their path, like a jealous ex-boyfriend, some incredibly bad first dates, a fundraising campaign at the library and a hilarious game of golf interrupted by Samuel L. Jackson. I really enjoyed this light-hearted book, perfect for an afternoon escape from reality.
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Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I have to start by saying I am NOT a big fan of serials, so I was disappointed to realize this book is only part of a series of books. This left the story unbalanced and very incomplete. Overall I enjoyed the story of Harry Clifton, a young English boy who faces a great deal of adversity, but continues to excel. The story is told through multiple perspectives, starting with Harry's mother, Maisie who is a hard working single parent, just trying to give her son a better life. As the reader learns more about each of the characters, it is hard to not like Harry and his mother, as well as Old Jack Tar who befriends Harry and take on a mentoring role in his life. Along with the likable characters, we have the unlikeable Hugo Barrington, who places obstacles in Harry's path, for his own personal reasons, that eventually come to light. The main part of the story centers around the mystery of Harry's father and his disappearance. There is of course great irony that seems to be present in all Jeffrey Archer books, although in this case, the star crossed lovers are truly tragic in their forbidden love. I did enjoy the book for the most part, but it felt so unfinished, and the ending with Harry leaving on a ship felt awkward and out of place. This book is not at the level of Jeffrey Archer's typical work, and the cliffhanger ending left me irritated, rather than intrigued.
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The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
There is something sweet and touching about this book. Addie, the main character is telling her grand-daughter about her life growing up in Boston. From her very early years in the tenements of Boston, though major historic events like World War I, the horrific Flu epidemic, the Depression and World War II, Addie shares with her grand-daughter and with the reader her struggles in life, her hardships, her incredible friendships, and the wisdom she has learned along the way. There is an honesty that adds to Addie's outlook on life. The characters feels genuine; from Addie's difficult mother, her head-strong sister, and her life long friends. The reader can't help but root for Addie, and rejoice when she finally does find love, and eventually finds her true purpose in life. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who like historical fiction. It was a window to the past, told only like a grandmother could.
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Paper Towns by John Green
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Quentin Jacobsen joins his adventurous neighbor Margo Roth Spiegelman on a fantastic middle of the night mission to right some wrongs in her life. Quentin has obvious feeling for the elusive Margo, and their incredible night of break-ins and payback push Quentin far beyond his comfortable existence, and then the next day Margo disappears. The reminder of the book follows Quentin and his loyal friends as they try to find Margo. I really enjoyed the style of writing, and the characters were fun and likable. Paper Towns does a great job of exploring teenage angst, without feeling like it is dwelling in misery. The story was interesting, and I really wanted to know what happened to Margo, but the ending was disappointing, it felt very flat. Despite the weak ending, I would recommend Paper Towns.
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Stories to Read While Driving: Kill the King and Other Tales by Jim Heskett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a strange, yet compelling collection of short stories. The longest story centered around a plot to kill a very unpopular king, told through the perspective of the official food taster. Although the stories were a bit odd at times, I found myself intrigued by these stories; they were engaging and kept my interest well. The author chose to include discussion questions at the end of each story, but I did not find these questions helpful or useful. If you like short stories, these are a fun and interesting way to spend an afternoon.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review
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The Piano Tuner and Other Short Stories by Pam Bonsper
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A really wonderful collection - these stories offer the reader a sweet escape. Each of these incredibly different stories shares the authors very hopeful and positive outlook. A perfect collection for an afternoon of reading - I enjoyed this book very much and would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys short stories.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review
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The Game Changer: 10 Defining Moments That Changed Lives by Iman Aghay
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This book shares a collection of inspirational stories from a variety of individuals, facing adversity and persevering. At times the story were somewhat redundant, but they were uplifting and hopeful. This is a good book for anyone who might need a positive pep talk for their own lives.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review
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Payback and a Bottle of Merlot by Bria Marche
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this goofy little story, the main character Mia is unhappy in an unfulfilling marriage when she discovers her husband's infidelity and decides to not just leave him, but publicly humiliate him as well. Her plan leads hers to discover even more lies that her husband has told her, including about his ex-wife, who she enlist in her revenge plans. There are some serious flaws with the plot, and the author never truly explains why Mia married this guy in the first place. The characters are charming, but not very well developed. I wish the author had not included the awkward sex scene with Max, it was completely out of place with the rest of the story. Even with its flaws, I found this to be an amusing little book for some light reading.
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Kissing Frogs by Rich Amooi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this charming little romance. The main characters, Ian and Sara are new neighbors who immediately feel an attraction for each other, but of course nothing is ever that simple. Dating mishaps, and a big lovable dog add to the chaos, and the secondary characters were sweet; adding a great deal to the story. The main characters feel realistic and likable. The book moves along at a good pace. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes a fun light-hearted romance.
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All My Love, Detrick by Roberta Kagan
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I enjoy historical fiction, but I struggled to finish this book. There were some good moments, but in general the story was predictable and the characters were so obviously one-dimensional. The story seemed chaotic at times, jumping from one character to another, and while the author attempted to include many historical facts, much of the writing showed a lack of historical understanding. The story is centered around Detrick and Leah, and their forbidden romance. Detrick is described as a perfect Aryan looking blue-eyed blond-haired man and Leah is a jewish girl with waif-like beauty. Their romance felt contrived and not really genuine. I really wanted to give more stars for the idea of the book, but it felt so disjointed at times. The author attempted to include historical facts but often they were placed awkwardly in chapters and disrupted the flow of the book. The story seemed to bounce around from character to character with no discernible pattern and several characters were simply dropped without an ending. I'm sorry to say that I would not highly recommend this book.
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War Brides by Helen Bryan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I enjoyed this interesting look at war time in rural England. The story centers around a group of woman who all find themselves in a small rural English village during World War II. The women come from a variety of backgrounds, including an American, a jew who escaped the Nazi's, a poor London resident evacuated to the country, a local girl and a rich slightly spoiled young woman sent to the country to 'stay out of trouble, yet they all somehow come together as unlikely friends while they survive the struggles of war and even devise a plan for a daring rescue. There are romances in the story, but the main focus is the relationship between these woman. The characters are interesting, and the story offers a genuine look at the untold story of war through the eyes of women, but for me the ending fell a little flat. If you like historical fiction, you will enjoy War Brides.
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Bipolar 1 Disorder - How to Survive and Thrive, 2nd Edition by Molly McHugh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book was a wonderful and powerfully honest look at Bipolar Disorder from the authors perspective, as an individual who has dealt with this disease for the majority of her adult life. At times the writing felt scattered, but this only added to the honest portrayal of someone dealing with the literal ups and downs of Bipolar disorder. Molly is so open and honest about her experiences, and she blends current research and statistics with her own anecdotal experiences, to give the reader a true picture of life with bipolar. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has been diagnosed with bipolar, as well as family and friends. With over 5.7 million Americans who are diagnosed with bipolar disorder each year, this book has the potential to help an incredible number of people. One of things I like the best about this book is the positive outlook that Molly, the author, has tried to maintain. At one point Molly states, "You have to still think of the future, not let the illness control your entire life, all moments of your life. And remind yourself that everyone is screwed up a bit, not just you."
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Undercover: A Novel by Danielle Steel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
There is nothing quite like a Danielle Steel novel to escape reality and just enjoy an afternoon. Undercover was a fun book that shared the story of two individuals, Marshall and Ariana, who faced extraordinarily difficult circumstances. Marshall is a DEA agent who works undercover with drug cartels in South America and barely escapes with his life. Ariana is the only daughter of a wealthy American diplomat who gets kidnapped by radical revolutionaries in Argentina. They both work hard at dealing with their past as they attempt to carve out a future, but the past is never far behind them. As usual, Danielle Steel creates unbelievable characters that are likable, even if they are completely unrealistic. It's not exceptional literature, but Danielle Steel novels are always a lot of fun to read and I would definitely recommend this fast-paced and fun story.
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Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A great entertaining read, the story centers around a group of Kindergarden parents, and the relationships that develop between the three main characters; Madeline, Celeste and Jane. Each of the women have personal struggles and they use each other for support. The story is fun, extremely funny at times and deeply emotional at other times. The author tackles the serous issue of domestic abuse and gives us a raw and realistic view of the reality and daily struggle of abuse victims. The book is highly engaging and moves along at a fast pace, and although the author gives clues to the ending throughout the book, the ending was shocking and incredibly satisfying. I really enjoyed this story and I would recommend it.
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The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this book, although alcoholism, infidelity and ultimately murder make for a story that was very dark at times. The characters were nuanced and the story moved along quickly - keeping my interest. The main character Rachel was both likable and incredibly frustrating; She was pathetic at times, yet ultimately showed a great deal of strength and resilience. The story centers around the disappearance of a woman named Megan that Rachel has been watching from the train each day. Rachel's life has fallen apart, with divorce and alcoholism, so she has created an idealized view of Megan as the train goes by each day and she is overwhelmed with a desire to find out what happened. All of the characters in the story seem to have a darker side, and while this adds to the tension and drama, it leaves the reader with a very pessimistic outlook on the world. The ending seemed very obvious, and dragged on just a bit too long.
It wasn't the best I have ever read, but I would recommend this book, especially if you enjoy a good mystery.
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Country by Danielle Steel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I wish I could give this four and a half stars. This was a typical Danielle Steel novel, a cheesy love story, and it was very predictable and entirely unrealistic, but a fun beach read for the summer. One thing this book did very well was the portrayal of grief after a spouse dies. Danielle Steel gave a very accurate picture of the emotional roller coaster that a grieving widow goes through, and some of the common and very frustrating situations that happen after a spouse dies. The Country music star, Chase felt very one dimensional, but he was a likable character. I related well to the main character, Stephanie, but her search to find meaning seemed forced and not genuine. If you enjoy Danielle Steel novels, you will love this book.
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The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Wow! I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars. This is one of the best books I have read in a very long time. The story of two very different sisters, Isabelle and Vianne, who both try to deal with the struggles and horrors of war, but each in their very own way. Vianne is the older sister, but she has always been more timid than her rebellious younger sister Isabelle. When Vianne's husband goes to war, France's army is no match for Germany and he is quickly captured by the Nazi's and sent to a prison camp. Vianne is left to care for her daughter. As she faces the struggles of life in France during the war, a German officer moves in, creating even more struggles for Vianne. Isabelle is outspoken and impulsive, she finds herself in the middle of the German invasion and she soon turns her anger and frustration into action by joining the resistance. Their relationship is often very strained, but they both care deeply about each other. Both Vianne and Isabelle deal with hardships and find strength, as the face dangerous conditions. Kristin Hannah does a tremendous job of sharing the deep relationships that form in the midst of war, the sacrifices that were made by so many of the French people. I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it.
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The Locket: Surviving the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire by Suzanne Lieurance
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this book. The author does a great job of infusing accurate history into the story of this immigrant family. The main character and her sister both work in the sweatshops of the New York garment industry, at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. As Galena deals with everyday life at the factory and living in the tenements, she is also worried about her older sister and the boy her sister has been hanging around with, who is trying to talk her sister Anya into joining the union. Galena's family is typical of many immigrant families at the time, struggling to survive. When a fire breaks out at the factory, Galena cannot find her sister anywhere. The author does an excellent job of sharing the horrific events of this tragedy in a very real and personal way. The story may be too violent for some younger children, but overall this is a fantastic book for middle grade students, they will relate well to Galena and her struggles.
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ADHD Parenting: A Mother's Guide to Strength, Organization, and Beautiful Living with an ADHD Child by Emma Adams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this short little book about raising a child with ADHD. Despite a few grammatical errors and typos, the book is a very genuine and personal look at life for a parent dealing with a child who has ADHD. I did not like how the author used the term 'afflicted' with this disorder, but the book does share some strategies that may be helpful for other families. The title clearly reflects the content, this book is written from a mother's perspective, and the author offers a very open and honest look at what worked and what did not work as she was raising her son. I would recommend this book to all families who have a child with ADHD.
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Iris by Stephanie Taylor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I enjoyed this middle grades book about a young girl named Iris, who is dealing with many transitions in her life. Iris and her brother are still struggling with their parents divorce, when they learn their mom has taken a new job in America. Iris is scared about leaving her father, and all her friends in Holland, but she soon finds out that America is not as scary as she thought it might be. Iris makes a friend and even finds a boy that she really likes, but her brother is not willing to give up on his dream of reuniting his parents and restoring his family. The book is written well for middle grade students and they will easily relate to these characters and their struggles. Readers will appreciate the challenges Iris faces as she tries to be loyal to her brother while she adjusts to life in her new country. I would highly recommend this book for middle grade students.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review
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Hippochondriac: Humorous Short Story by Micky Morag
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I read this short & very interesting book with an open mind, and while some of the language and humor is fun, the story began to feel forced. The illustrations were fun, but due to the formatting, they can be challenging to read on certain types of readers (I had trouble on my kindle, but it worked well on my tablet). It is important to note, this is NOT a children's story. It is humorous, There were some clever parts with well written sarcasm - I laughed at parts of the story, but there were also parts that did not hold my interest. The author poked fun at not only individuals who seem to 'catch' any illness they hear about, but he also challenged the culture of fear that many people have about contagious illnesses. Humor is very subjective, and while I did find humor in this story I would only rate this book as Okay.
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Somewhere in France by Jennifer Robson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The story of a young woman of privilege who wants more out of life than simply attending fancy dinner parties, Lilly gets into an argument with her parents and leaves home. In her desire to do more for the war effort, she volunteers for the first ever female unit of the army. The author focuses mainly on the romance between Lilly and Robbie, a surgeon and friend of her brother. Lilly manages to get herself assigned to the very same hospital unit where Robbie is stationed. The author does a great job of describing life during the war, and she introduces some great characters, but she fails to fully develop the characters and the story. I enjoyed the book, but felt like there were many missed opportunities to make it even better.
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Randy Bamboo in Chicken City by R.C. Beaird
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A very cute children's story, written in an easy-going style, with fun, colorful illustrations, Randy Bamboo is a typical city boy who moves to the country to raise chickens. Randy soon learns that chickens take a lot more patience and hard work than he realized, and readers will celebrate with Randy as he finally gets his first egg. Children will enjoy following along with Randy's adventure and parents will love the messages about hard work, patience and perseverance.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review
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An Inconvenient Year by Yvonne Joye
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A beautifully written memoir that shares the authors experience with breast cancer. The story is honest and compelling. Starting out as naive and overwhelmed, we follow along as she endures and takes on a new, more jaded outlook, ultimately re-capturing the joy that cancer has threatened to take from her. I really enjoyed the author's viewpoint, being completely open and honest about her ordeal, but not in a sad or morose way. I would strongly recommend this book, especially if you or someone you know and love is dealing with breast cancer.
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Regarding Anna by Florence Osmund
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I enjoyed this book, I found myself drawn into the mystery of Anna, as Grace tries to unravel her past. The book has a few good twists and turns of the plot, but I began to get tired of keeping up with a few too many new characters introduced to the plot. The main character Grace is likable and some of the secondary characters like Minnie and Naomi are a lot of fun. The bad guy is extremely one-dimensional, and it feels very artificial and forced that Grace won't use any of the Irish money because she doesn't feel right about it. Overall this was a fun mystery and I would recommend this book.
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Kevin and the Seven Lions by Martin Tiller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this fun little story about Kevin, a young boy who often finds himself distracted in wonderful daydreams. Kevin is used to getting in trouble for his daydreams, but a very wise teacher helps Kevin to explore those dreams and write them down. Having a daughter with ADD, I really enjoyed the way this author shed a positive light on the challenges of being distracted. I am sure that children will identify with Kevin. The illustrations are fun and add well to the story. I would highly recommend this book for all children, especially children with ADD and other attention problems.
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Must Love Dogs: Bark & Roll Forever by Claire Cook
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Claire Cook has done it again. Must Love Dogs 4 - Bark and Roll Forever is another fun visit with the irrepressible Sarah Hurilhy and her family. Sarah is such a wonderful main character, with all of her quirks and personality flaws, she is so likable and real. In this book Sarah and John have made plans to move in together, but the challenge is finding the right place, and they are quietly trying to have a baby together. As they begin their search, Sarah's ex-husband's new wife manages to push her way into the process by finding buyers for Sarah's current place. Time is running out, and with very few options open, Sarah and John decide to move in with Sarah's dad temporarily. The usual Hurlihy family hijinks include Sarah's dad being involved with a group of women who run the "Bark and Roll Forever" dog-walking business.
Sarah is consumed with self-doubt that she has waited too long to begin trying to have a baby, so naturally she is surrounded by pregnancy, from her co-worker at the preschool to her very own niece. Even her ex-husband's new wife is expecting.
Bark and Roll forever is like a visit with some cherished old friends. Claire Cook does an amazing job of keeping the story fresh and interesting, while staying true to the Hurilhy family charm. You can't help rooting for Sarah and John, and cheering along with them once they finally find a solution to the their housing dilemma.
You will want to add this book to your list of beach reads for the summer!
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review
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Trying Not to Love You by Megan Smith
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
It was a cute story idea, over protective brothers getting in the way of love, I really wanted to like this book but I just didn't. The book had several errors and was seriously in need of editing. The dialogue was simplistic and repetitive. The characters were undeveloped, very one dimensional. I had trouble relating to the main character. For me the worst part was the ending, it seemed rushed, unfinished and completely out of character with the rest of the book. It was meant to be a cliffhanger but I really have no interest in finding out what happens next.
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Daughters of the Lake by Jane Riddell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Despite a very etherial sounding title, this book was an inside look at a dysfunctional family, keeping secrets from each other. When their widowed mother invites everyone home to celebrate the anniversary of their hotel, the secrets begin to unravel. Infidelities, broken relationships and guilt play out against the beautiful swiss location of the story. The author is from the UK, so American readers will need to adjust to the different spellings and some of slang used. At times the descriptions got lengthy, but overall the family dynamics and the many secrets led to an interesting story.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review
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Sold by Patricia McCormick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A well written and very disturbing look at human trafficking, this is the story of Lakshmi, a young girl from the hills of Nepal who thinks she is going to the city to be a maid so she can send money back to her family. Unfortunately, Lakshmi is unwittingly drawn into the ugly world of sex trafficking in India, and her heartbreaking story of abuse is written in a poignant first person account. This young adult book handles the sex scenes discreetly, but the emotional pain is raw and difficult at times. I would recommend this book highly to older teens and adults.
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At the Water's Edge by Sara Gruen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Set in Scotland during World War II, the story follows Maddie and her husband Ellis along with his friend Hank as they search for a sighting of the infamous Loch Ness monster as a way to vindicate themselves to Ellis' disapproving family. Ellis and Hank are spoiled and selfish, and as Maddie learns the truth about her husband she find herself falling for Angus, the gruff innkeeper. The story shows the depth of pain and loss as well as the true resurrection of the human spirit. I really enjoyed the characters, and although the story is quite dark at times, Sara Gruen has once again given us a brilliant love story.
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The Next Best Thing by Jennifer Weiner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Although I did enjoy parts of this novel about a young scriptwriter named Ruth who lives with her Grandma in Hollywood, I found many of the characters flat and hard to relate to. Looking at the cover I was expecting a light beach read, but this was not a light fluffy story at all. Ruth is very insecure due to facial scars from a terrible accident that she was in as a child, which left her parent dead causing her to be raised by her grandmother. Much of the story revolves around Ruth's poor self esteem, leading to some romantic disasters, but Ruth is a smart talented writer who submits a script for a television show that is chosen by network executives. Ruth quickly learns that she must compromise to make the show, but she isn't happy with the artistic direction her show has taken. Throughout much of the book, I felt like the author wanted me to feel sorry for Ruth, but instead I felt like Ruth was being whiney and spoiled. For me this book was not 'the next best thing'
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Allegiant by Veronica Roth
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Spoiler alert - Allegiant is the third in the highly popular Divergent series of books, and as with most trilogies that I have read, the third book is usually the weakest. As Veronica Roth tries to wrap up the story of Tris and Four and their attempts to address the power hungry leaders of their isolated society, book three has them joining a group of rebels called Allegiant, to over throw Evelyn and her factionless army, but they do not stay and fight, instead Tris and Four and several of their friends decide to venture outside the safety of the community walls to see who or what is out there, and they find a group of scientists and soldiers who are monitoring their entire community, which was put there intentionally as a scientific experiment. This is where the book starts to loose its focus. The scientists are trying to correct genetic mutations that have created two classes of people; the genetically pure and genetically damaged. This creates an unfair society. Tris learns that her Mom was not from her community, but instead had come from this outside world and chose to go join the experiment. Roth loses the focus that her first two books had. Tris and Four spend most of the book fighting and making up in a severely dysfunctional relationship, and yet another group of rebels, this time the genetically damaged, raid the scientific community due to the unfair conditions they face. The attack is confusing and does nothing for the story. To me this dilutes the original work of the first two books. In Divergent and Insurgent, we see how unfairly the social outcasts or factionless are treated, but this whole new social problem of genetically pure versus genetically damaged just muddies the waters. Roth then focuses a great deal on the death of a minor character. Tris' character doesn’t seem as consistent in this book, she cannot forgive her brother for his betrayal, which is not her usual style, and the ending is just as muddled, Tris eventually winds up going on a suicide mission to spread memory serum, but gets shot by David, the leader of the science community and a former love interest of Tris’s mother. This book did not have the building tension and excitement of the previous two books, it was chaotic and confusing at times and felt like Roth was just throwing words on a page to finish out the story. It’s a shame that this was the ending to the series.
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Wild Rose by Betsy Talbot
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this fun romance. Rose has always been a devoted mother and hard working landscape designer who created her own successful business, but with encouragement form her closest friends, Rose finally decides to visit her daughter, who is in Italy for the summer and she quickly finds out that not only is her daughter not returning to college, she is planning to move to Australia for a job. After adjusting to the news, Rose takes the opportunity to stay in Italy for a little longer and spend some time with her daughter's handsome former boss, and things get pretty spicy. The author does a great job of using rich descriptions of the flavors and sights of Italy, as Rose and handsome Mateo explore their new relationship. This was a really fun read and I am looking forward to the next story in the late bloomers series.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
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A Sliver of Sun by Dianna Dorisi Winget
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this fun story about Piper Lee and her new step-sister Ginger. Piper Lee has a knack for getting into challenging situations, like keeping her Mama from eating soy beans so she will have a boy baby, and hatching a plan to get back at a class bully who is terrorizing her new step-sister. Piper Lee is a wonderful character for children's stories, she is both lovable and flawed, and her emotions are genuine and sweet. Although this book is a sequel, I did not read the first book in the series and felt that this book works well as a stand alone. I would highly recommend this sweet little children's story for all middle grade readers, especially for children who come from mixed or blended families.
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Dear Beneficiary by Janet Kelly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Dear Beneficiary is the story of Cynthia, a sixty year old widow who deals with the loss of her husband and her newly found freedom by having a steamy romance with a much younger Nigerian man. Cynthia is heart broken when Darius, her love interest, must return to Nigeria to help his family. Cynthia decides to enlist her grandson's help in purchasing and learning to use a computer in the hopes of communicating with Darius, but instead she receives a "Dear beneficiary" e-mail and falls prey to a scam from Nigerian con artists, mistakenly believing that she is helping her beloved Darius. Cynthia decides to travel to Nigeria. Cynthia and her fellow travel companion, an unlikeable woman named Tracey are lost and overwhelmed in the Nigerian airport and they wind up being kidnapped. Although it is an engaging story, it did not feel believable. The author missed opportunities to really describe Nigeria and the experience that Cynthia had. At times it felt as if Cynthia was simply narrating her story and not really experiencing it. I never felt the terror or anger or frustration that I would expect from someone who is kidnapped. I really enjoyed the idea of Cynthia evaluating her life and deciding that perhaps she had been too safe, and her unexpected relationship with Darius. Overall it was a fun book, but the author missed some opportunities to make it really great.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
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65 Genius Do It Yourself Gardening Hacks by Teeto
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
If you love gardening, this little book is loaded with some great tips for cultivating many of your favorite foods. Written in a simple no-nonsense style, the author shares their expertise about gardening a wide array of plants. Although the text would benefit from some editing, the content is well worth picking up this little treasure of a book.
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The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
When Grace Munroe suddenly receives a bequeath from a stranger in Paris, she is confused. She knows nothing about Eva D'Orsey and she does not understand why this woman would choose to leave everything to a total stranger. As the story develops, the author moves from the story of Eva as a young girl, to the emotional turbulence of Grace as she tries to understand who Eva is and why she left this gift to Grace. The characters are interesting, but slightly one-dimensional at times. I was thoroughly engaged in the story and even though the plot is not overly surprising, the author does manage to include a few unexpected moments. Perhaps the best part of the book is the author's ability to make us actually smell the words as she describes the various scents that make up the story of Eva and her relationship to Madame Zed and her talented apprentice Andre Valmont. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who loves historical fiction.
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Glenn Hates Books Vol. 1: Brutally Honest Book Reviews by Glenn Conley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The author Glenn Conley is lying, he does NOT hate books, he hates poorly written books. I think he actually loves books - and I really enjoyed his brutal and slightly offensive, yet very funny book reviews. I may not agree with everything that Glenn says in his reviews, but I do applaud his ability to sift through the important parts of a book and his straightforward approach. If you are easily offended by foul language you should avoid this book, but if you don't mind his very 'colorful' descriptions, Glenn offers his insights on a variety of books and his enthusiasm will have you downloading a whole list of new books and authors onto your to-read pile.
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Prodigal Son by Danielle Steel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The main character Jack gets caught in the middle of the Wall Street meltdown and his life begins to unravel. He loses his job, his money and now his wife wants a divorce. Seemingly at his lowest point, he decides to visit his old family vacation cottage and this decision sets off a series of events that will change not only his life, but it will shock and devastate a small town. As Jack tries to come to terms with his estranged twin brother, he finally has hope for reconciliation but his nephew is convinced that Michael is evil and Jack is forced to decide what he really believes about his brother. Danielle Steel is a master at escape and this new novel is a fun break from reality. Prodigal Son has a darker theme than most of her work, but it is engaging and a fun read. It was somewhat predictable with an overly convenient ending in true corny Danielle Steel fashion, but I enjoyed this book.
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Insurgent by Veronica Roth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Insurgent picked up right where Divergent left off. In the continuing story of Tris and Four, as they deal with a chaotic society at war with itself, they struggle to understand and accept each other, and navigate their way through the challenges of guilt, forgiveness and trust needed to move forward. Veronica Roth gives us a sequel that is fast paced and compelling. Friendship, love and betrayal are mixed up in a jumble of relationships torn apart and thrust together by the war that has broken out among the factions. Struggling with the shock and trauma of watching her parents die and overwhelming guilt from shooting a close friend, Tris decides to sacrifice herself to save the others, and comes face to face with the cold calculating leader that started all the strife, Jeannine, and the author doesn't disappoint, showing us Tris' inner strength. Tris depends on her intuition, making alliances that seem to defy logic. The story includes shocking betrayals and surprising moments of kindness and charity. Once again, I am usually frustrated by books in a series where the ending is left somewhat unfinished, creating the interest for the third book, and although Insurgent gives an interesting ending, it clearly leaves a big question mark too, requiring us to read the third book for resolution. I did enjoy the book and would recommend it.
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I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The story of Malala is compelling and profound. This book covers much more than just the intimate details of a cowardly and vicious attempt on a young girls life, but the book gives an enormous amount of information about the region, the people, their beliefs and values. Malala gives us a peek into a world that most westerners know very little about. I was surprised at the depth of political and geographic details in the book, which really helped the reader to understand the dynamics that led to the attempt on her life. Malala and her parents are inspiring with their courageous and relentless pursuit of education and equality for girls and women. I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it.
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